US prepares sweeping sanctions on International Criminal Court: Report

The Trump administration is preparing to implement expansive economic sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

The upcoming US penalties would prohibit most financial and commercial transactions with the international tribunal following a grace period of six to seven months, according to the newspaper.

The planned sanctions mark a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s punitive actions, shifting from targeting individual court personnel to imposing broad restrictions across the entire organization.

Sources cited in the report indicated that Washington could finalize the executive measures as soon as this week during the UN General Assembly session or shortly thereafter.

Washington has already penalized numerous tribunal personnel, including ICC President Tomoko Akane, under an executive order issued in February 2025 that declared a national emergency over court proceedings.

The sustained campaign follows the ICC issuing arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

A State Department spokesman declined to preview any sanctions decisions, the Journal said.